Intended
by Evey Edge
Summary: True Blood season 6 from Warlow's perspective. Warning: Spoilers for 6x04.
1. Hope and Fear

Warlow stood outside his intended's home, hidden behind the trunk of one of the many trees scattered across the Stackhouse property. Hope and fear surged through him as he'd listened to her prepare for work.

The hope was nothing new; it was the light he'd chased for hundreds upon hundreds of years. He'd clung to hope tenaciously through despair, guilt, and loneliness. He'd used it to silence the whispers in the back of his mind that told him to surrender himself Niall's justice. Yes, hope was an old companion, but fear…Warlow had not felt fear for quite some time.

Over the past six thousand years many creatures had sought to end his tortured existence, but the attempted assassinations had never frightened him. Perhaps it was that he doubted that any one had the strength to destroy him, or perhaps it was that a part of him was tempted by the oblivion death promised. Either way, fear had been a distant memory until he'd finally clapped eyes on the woman who'd haunted his dreams for millennia.

She was almost exactly as she'd appeared in the vision he'd seen all those years ago; long blonde hair, chocolate colored eyes, and sweet features. The only variation he noted was the absence of her smile, its warmth and beauty somehow enhance by the slight gap between her front teeth. That image of Sookie smiling had been the only thing keeping him sane those twenty years in the prison dimension. What it would feel like to have that smile directed at him? He hoped he wouldn't have to wait much longer to find out.

He was determined that today he would meet his destined mate. Appearance-wise, he felt fairly confident. He was clean shaven, his hair and clothing had been conformed to the societal norm, and as a born fae, he knew he met the standards for human beauty. Warlow felt less assured about his plan to infiltrate Sookie's life.

Given the preconceptions Sookie had about him, introducing himself as Warlow was out of the question. He'd need to earn her trust as someone else, and then later, when he felt confident she understood his heart and intentions, he would reveal his true identity.

Warlow had gone over and over his plan for the past two decades, ever since the terrible night where he'd made the second greatest mistake of his life; the mistake that could cost him the happiness he'd been waiting for six thousand years. What if it didn't work? What if she couldn't forgive him? What if she only saw what that rest of the world had for six thousand years: a monster?

No. He would banish this fear and uncertainty. Everything would work out if he could just maintain control of himself. Sookie would love him. She had to.

Sookie's front door slammed, jerking Warlow from his thoughts. His eyes followed his intended as she strode purposefully down the road. She was walking to work. Warlow smiled to himself. The fates, for once, appeared to be on his side. All it took was a quick slip through dimensions for him to appear a half miles down the road. She'd be there in a matter of minutes. He'd need to think quickly.

Should he pretend to be lost, a drifter who's wound up on the wrong back road? No, that wouldn't do. Even in broad daylight a man approaching a woman in the middle of the woods might register as a threat. He needed to make himself appear less dangerous…injured! He used his fangs to rip up his arm and leg. Prey, not predator. He dragged himself down a few feet into the ditch beside the road.

A half-ling attacked by a vampire, simple, plausible, and even a little bit true. Warlow focused on keeping his self-imposed injuries from rapidly healing. Only a few more minutes and she'd be rounding the bend. Warlow felt like he was about to jump out of his skin. He took a deep, calming breath. He could wait; after all he'd had plenty of practice.


	2. Spark

The scent of honey grew stronger as Sookie approached the stretch of road Warlow lay beside. She smelled SO GOOD. He grimaced and pushed the thought from his mind. He was almost certain his vampire half couldn't overpower him during daylight hours, but ALMOST certain wasn't ABSOLUTELY certain, and when it came to Sookie, he couldn't afford risk, not matter how small. He had been preparing for this very moment for the thousands of years and he wouldn't lose focus now.

He groaned in pretended pain, loud enough for Sookie to notice. He wouldn't directly call for help unless it was absolutely necessary. It would be much better if she came to him of her own accord? He heard her footsteps stop. Excellent, she'd seen him. There was a second's pause and then the footsteps resumed, marching right past him!

"No. Not today. I have a job." The words were spoken aloud, but clearly not meant for him. She was talking to herself, trying to convince herself to do something that went against her instincts. He knew from bitter experience that fighting one's instincts was an almost impossible task. He gave a louder exclamation of pain. The footsteps halted again.

"Oh gosh dang it!" Success! As she came down from the road Warlow schooled his thoughts to align with the identity he had concocted down to the southern accent, "You okay?" He kept his eyes squeezed tightly closed, as though he was in great pain.

"No."

"You need me to call you an ambulance?" Warlow shook his head emphatically, thinking _NO AMBULENCE_ as loud as loudly as he could. "Do you know what happened to you?" Suddenly there was an odd sensation in Warlow's mind. It was as though a warm presence was spilling into all the empty spaces of his mind.

_He smelled my blood! My damn blood!_

"Vampire attacked me." Suddenly Sookie's voice was inside his mind.

_Are you a fairy?_

_I'm a halfling. _

_Me too. _Sookie smiled at him briefly. The warm presence rushed out of his head and he was alone in his mind again. He knew he should be grateful. It would be much harder to maintain the charade if Sookie listened to his every thought. He realized with surprised that he wasn't grateful. He was alone again.

"Okay, you need a hospital." No, that didn't suit his purpose at all.

"No. Hospitals don't know what to do with fairies." Even if he was truly injured, a circumstance as likely as the sun rising in the west, Warlow doubted even a supernatural doctor could would know what to do with a vampire-fairy hybrid.

Sookie frowned as he twisted in "pain". Abruptly she grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. Together they tottered out of the ditch. The "injury" to his leg gave Warlow an excuse to lean into her slightly as he limped. It took them only fifteen minutes to reach Sookie's front door.

"You know, you didn't have to do this." Sookie's reaction to finding him in that ditch told him a lot about her nature. Plenty of people would have walked past. Others would have called the ambulance and went on their way with a clear conscience. How many women would have invited a strange man back into their homes, let alone partly carried him there? 1 in a 100? 1 in a 1000? 1 in 10,000?

"I know." Sookie's tone was dry, making Warlow think back to her initial attempt to pass him without stopping. What a puzzle his intended was proving to be. Most people had selfish instincts that they unapologetically indulged. Sookie had selfless instincts they she tried unsuccessfully to override. The question was: Why? No one fights their own nature without reason. He guessed that Sookie's generosity had brought her trouble in the past. It was a sad fact of life that good was rarely returned with good.

"Thank you." She deposited him on her couch and observed him speculatively.

"Did you get a look at the vampire who attacked you?" That was a strange thing to ask. It hadn't occurred to him concoct a description. Was she testing him? No. If she suspected him she would be listening to his thoughts, and he would feel her presence.

"No. It all happened so fast." Sookie seemed to accept that response and quickly moved on to her next query.

"How did you get away?" That question, fortunately one he had anticipated.

"I blasted it." His eyes flickered to her face. He had no idea exactly how much Sookie understood about her fae nature. Sookie had mastered mind-reading at an early age, but manifesting light was a completely different skill. No surprise registered on her face, suggesting Sookie did know about this method of self-defense. It begged the question…How? Someone must have told her at least what she was. Who? How much did she know about her heritage? How much did she know about him?

"Well…just lie here and I'll get some warm water and bandages." Warlow couldn't help but smile. Sookie may not have grown up within fairy culture, but the fae impulse to nurture was in her blood. His mind briefly flashed back to his adolescent years when he'd believed himself enamored of a fae girl named Abelia.

He'd tried to impress her by hunting a lion by himself and gotten a mauled shoulder his trouble. Abelia had honored his request not to tell his mother about his fool-hardy actions, and she'd bandaged him, all the while haranguing him on his great idiocy. He chuckled at the memory. Sookie turned and looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"Nothin'. It's just, uh, you just remind me of someone." He'd carried a torch for Abelia until the day another tribe of fae had come to their village. All the eligible unmated fae had danced together, as tradition dedicated, while the older fae looked on.

He remembered the anticipation, the excitement in the air. Each time hand touch hand there was a collective intake of breath as both dancers and spectators waited for that sacred spark of light that signified two life-mates connecting for the first time. At last the spark appeared, between Abelia and one of the other's tribes young males. The marriage contracts had been drawn up immediately and they'd been wed three nights later.

"Who?" He paused a moment, trying to be as honest as he could be, while not breaking character.

"First love in high school. I think you're a little nicer though." Abelia was considerably less gentle than Sookie, both physically and verbally. Whatever irritation Sookie felt at being a nursemaid to a stranger seemed to be directed at herself and not at him.

"You probably banged your head along with your other injuries." Sookie's tone seemed light and playful, but the way she turned away from him betrayed her embarrassment at his comment. His words had made her uncomfortable, perhaps because he was still a stranger to her. It was time for a subtle retreat.

"She couldn't take a compliment either." He allowed his eyes to flicker eyes as though he had drifted off into unconsciousness.

"Hey, wait a second, you're not going to fall asleep on me are you?! I'm already late for work. Oh fudge!" Sookie stomped off into the next room, apparently fooled by his feigned slumber. When she had retrieved the first aid supplies, she returned to the room, much more quietly than she'd left it.

She began to work on his chest wound, wetting a cloth with warm water, then gently dabbing at the blood on his chest. Any discomfort he felt at the light pressure on his injury was more than balanced by the pleasure he derived from having her fingertips so near his exposed skin. Sookie placed a square bandage over the gash and moved on to his arm.

Warlow had forgotten how intimate the act of being tended was, both for the healer and the patient. It felt good, allowing Sookie to care for him. It made him feel...connected to her, and he hadn't felt connected to anything for a very long time.

He opened his eyes just in time to watch her apply the second bandage. Their eyes met as she shyly smiled at him. One of Sookie's fingertips brushed his arm and a bright light appeared. A hot powerful tingle raced up his arm. The spark. He had expected it and yet simultaneously found it impossible to believe. It was really happening.

"What's that about?" Apparently the mating phenomenon was one of the things that Sookie hadn't yet learned about her inherited biology.

"I have no idea." He smiled through the lie, although was dying to enlighten her. Ecstatic as he was for the physical proof that he and Sookie belonged together, he knew she wasn't ready to hear it. He had to constantly remind himself that Sookie had been raised completely ignorant of her heritage. Things that were understood and accepted by other fae women would frighten and anger her. There was a time when even he had resented what he felt was the injustice of 'destined mates'.

The week of celebration following Abelia's wedding had been a bitter one for him. His mother had found him on the third day of reveling, sulking in their hut. She had kissed him and told to let his anger go. She'd said that one day he would find is true intended and on that day he would understand. He hadn't believed her then, but today, thousands of years later he knew she'd spoken true. He flexed his fingers, savoring the sensation the sacred spark had gifted him with.

"It wasn't long ago that I wanted to get rid of my light." Warlow's nearly jumped out of chest at her words. Get rid of her light?! If she had succeeded the consequences would have been disastrous! He forced calm into voice before responding. She clearly hadn't succeeded and that was the crucial thing.

"Why would you do that?" He needed to convince her to never again attempt such foolishness. He couldn't begin to comprehend what would cause her to desire it in the first place. Who would want to be human when they could be fae?

"I'm sick of being different, sick of all the pain." Sookie's eyes met his and full comprehension flowed through him. He knew that bone-tired look all too well; it was the expression of a soul wearied by isolation. Sookie may have managed to superficially integrate herself into the human world, but she'd never truly belong there. Even if she'd wanted to forget that fact, he was sure the thoughts of humans surrounding her offered constant reminders.

Warlow remembered the very first time he'd laid eyes on Sookie in the playground outside her school. He'd recognized her from the photographs he'd seen inside her parents' home. She'd been sitting by herself, drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick, occasionally shooting furtive glances at her classmates. She'd resembled the grown woman from his vision, but he'd tried not to get his hopes up.

The knowledge the fae elder had given him had been limited. She'd told him that his mate would be the first fae-born female of Jon Stackhouse's line, but the elder had given him no indication of when he could expect his betrothed to arrive. He thought the task of finding his intended would be simple once he'd located Jon Stackhouse, and convinced him to agree to the marriage contract, but as the generations passed the family tree branched far and wide. For three hundred years he's been perpetually on the hunt, chasing down every errant strand of the bloodline. By the time he'd reached Sookie he'd tested almost a hundred potential female Stackhouses.

The moment he'd peeked into Sookie's thoughts, he'd known he'd finally found what he'd been looking for. Sookie had been reliving a memory of one of her classmates calling her, 'a freak'. Sookie'd remembered the teacher scolding the student aloud, but silently agreeing with him in her thoughts. Warlow had felt an instantaneous wave of empathy stemming from his own marrow deep understanding of the loneness that came with being the perpetual outsider.

"Yeah." The word seemed insufficient to express every thought flying through his head at that moment. He wanted to take her in his arms and somehow force the memories of pain to flow out of her and into him. He wanted to tell her that she'd never ever have to feel alone again. Unfortunately none of that was a possibly at the moment. He slowly sat up so he could at least speak to her at eye level.

"You know, sometimes, no matter how hard you try to do the right thing, it just turns out wrong." He thought of the night he'd tried to explain himself to Sookie's parents. He'd thought at the time it was the right thing to do for everyone concerned.

He'd wanted Sookie's parents to understand how special their daughter was, so they could teach her to celebrate her fae nature, rather than make her ashamed of it. He'd also thought that it was only fair that they knew their time with their daughter was limited, so they could cherish the years they had. Finally he'd wanted Sookie to grow-up with the knowledge he existed. He'd hoped the idea of him would be a comfort to her, as the idea of her had been a comfort for him through the lonely millennia. He'd acted with the best of intentions, but it had still been a terrible mistake, and Sookie had suffered for it.

"I know we only just met, but I can tell that you're a good person." There was many things about Sookie he had yet to learn, but on that score Warlow was utterly convinced.

"Doesn't seem to matter much. I'm more of a liability these days." A liability? That was the last word in the world he would connect with Sookie. Sookie was kind and brave, and should never term herself as anything less than the princess she was. For a moment he was tempted to tell her so, but his reason stopped him. Sookie reminded him of a wild horse, if he tried to approach too quickly, she'd spook and bolt. Slowly and carefully was the smartest way to proceed forward.

"Well…I did not mean to impose on you like this." He stood and limped across the floor toward the door.

"You sure you're okay to move?" She really was a very compassionate soul. Perhaps if he was lucky she would offer to let him stay with her.

"You have been very kind." He hobbled deliberately toward the front of her house, stopping only when she called out to him.

"Wait. I don't know your name." He smiled at her reluctance to let him go. His efforts had apparently not been in vain.

"Ben. You?"

"Sookie. You know where you're headed?" Warlow looked out the front window as though the answer lay out on the distant horizon.

"Wherever the road takes me." Provided of course it led right back to Sookie's doorstep.

"Road didn't really cooperate last time." Warlow chuckled at Sookie's dry humor. All in all he would say the road cooperated rather well by leading Sookie to him.

"I'll be alright. You know, it's been a long time since anyone has shown me an ounce of human kindness. It makes the big bad world seem a little less lonely." The words may have been designed to persuade Sookie to ask him to stay, but that didn't make them any less true. Sookie had always been an ideal to him, a goal for him to work toward. The reality of her kindness and compassion warmed him in a way that no abstract ever could have. He waited for a beat, but Sookie choose not to respond. Well, it was worth a shot.

"Goodbye, Sookie." He opened the door, and was about to walk through when Sookie unexpectedly spoke up from behind him.

"There is a place. A safe place for fairies." Sookie had knowledge of a local fairy haven and she was willing to share it with him? That was very bad news. She had no way of knowing that she was offering the rough equivalent of heroin to a recovering drug addict. How could he possibly refuse the information without appearing suspicious?

"I could take you there if you want." A walk through the woods with Sookie on a beautiful summer's day? It was too good an opportunity to pass up. He'd be fine. If he was strong enough to handle the prison dimension, he could certain withstand a little temptation. He was far from a newborn vampire anymore, and he has been cultivating self-control for quite some time. Everything would be fine…he hoped.


	3. Blunder

"So what brings you to Bon Temps?" Warlow smiled; pleased that Sookie had asked a question he could answer somewhat honestly.

"I was just looking to settle down, put down some roots. I've had a lot of bad in my life. I was hoping for a slice of something good." He kept his eyes forward as he spoke, not wanting to give himself away. It was incredible how good it felt, merely to be walking next her. He opened his mouth to tell her so, but then thought better of it. Every time he had tried to compliment Sookie, she'd shied away from him. He resisted the urge to grimace. Here he was, six thousand years old, walking next to the woman who was his destined mate and he wasn't even allowed to tell her how happy her company made him.

Human courting rituals were incredibly frustrating and confusing. He'd been carefully observing how human men and women interacted ever since he had been told his intended would be a Halfling, and he still didn't fully understand them. Deceit seemed integral to the process. Potential lovers hid their attraction to each other, while trying to assess the other party's interest. They disguised physical aspects of themselves they feared would be unappealing. They hid their intentions, fears, habits, likes, and dislikes, all in the hope they could trick their partner into accepting them. It was no wonder so many human marriages failed to last the duration of their fleeting lives.

Everything was much simpler in the culture he had grown up with. There was no subterfuge and no uncertainty. If you were true mates, you married, if you weren't, you didn't. The only drawback was the waiting. Destiny couldn't be rushed, as his six thousand year bachelorhood could attest. Still, despite those years of loneliness, all he had to do was look at Sookie to know it was worth it.

"I was, uh, I was hoping that maybe I could see you again. Just take you out… repay the kindness." There, that wasn't too forward, even by human standards..

"That's real nice of you, but I'm not in what you'd call the best place to start something romantic…I mean, if that's what you were asking…" What on earth did that mean? It was a rejection certainly, but he had no idea what kind. He was certain Sookie was attracted to him, at least physically, so what had he done wrong? Warlow peeked into her head for clues.

_Too soon. I just lost Bill._ Bill. The seemingly innocuous word gave him the sudden and inexplicable urge to rip a tree out of the ground. He fought to keep his face and voice neutral.

"Who's Bill?" Jealousy; that was the emotion he was experiencing right now. The anger and resentment he'd felt at Abelia's husband was nothing compared to this.

"'Excuse me?" Sookie had stopped walking, and her voice had lost its friendly tone. Curse his idiocy! There was no way to explain his question without explaining that he'd been spying.

"I'm sorry, I, uh, reading minds is a habit of mine, and I just heard the name Bill-" Sookie mercifully cut off his rambling.

"Bill is…He's, um…I'm sorry I should be getting back." Damnation, why hadn't he kept his mouth shut?! He called to her as she turned to flee.

"Wait! I didn't mean to upset you." The last thing he'd wanted to do was frighten her away, and yet clearly that was what he had done.

"You didn't, it's not you. It's just...I shouldn't be taking walks with handsome strangers…It never ends well. Tibito Field is just a couple miles down the road that way. The fairy club's there. You'll see the signs." Warlow watched Sookie's retreating back until she disappeared beyond the bend in the path. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to go after her, but his brain told him that would be a mistake. Sookie needed time to calm down and he needed time to think about what he'd learned.

He was not Sookie's first suitor. This was an unfortunate fact, especially considering these men had apparently convinced her that all courtships ended badly. As if he needed further incentive to wish them dead...

NO! He couldn't afford to think those thoughts. The last time he had given in to anger he had hurt Sookie, and gotten himself banished to another plane. He didn't need to harm Sookie's former paramours. They had had their chance, they had failed, and therefore they were no threat to him. His only interest in them would be learning the mistakes they made, so he would not repeat them. The question remained of what to do next.

He'd decided to return to town. He'd need a place to stay, as the fairy club Sookie had mentioned was clearly not an option for him. He also needed to feed. He did not want to be around Sookie while he was hungry. He had hard enough time keeping his fangs retracted around her as it was. Also a little reconnaissance was in order.. The people of Bon Temps had grown up with Sookie and hopefully they could provide some insight. The "Bill" bombshell had caught him off guard and he had blundered. He won't be making that mistake again.


	4. God and Destiny

_Warlow stood immobile as a statue, staring out across the plain at the human village which had been built over the village that had been his home three and a half millennia ago. He hadn't moved from the spot all day. He closed his eyes listened to the babble of voices. If he tuned out the words, he could almost pretend he was home again. He smiled, losing himself in his memories. He'd chosen an excellent place to die. Suddenly the smell of wheat, honey, and sunlight flooded his nostrils. Warlow willed himself to remain still. At last, his destiny was nearly fulfilled. Niall had finally caught up to him. He kept his eyes closed, waiting for the light blast that would end his misery._

"_I am not Niall." A woman's voice. He had not been expecting that. He opened his eyes and the sight of a beautiful dark-skinned fairy greeted him._

"_If you wish to live, you will flee from me as quickly as you can." He didn't need more innocent blood on his hands, especially now that the end was so near. _

"_I know you will not hurt me." She seemed so calm and certain that he almost believed her._

"_Then you know more than I know." He was more in control of himself then he'd been as a newborn vampire, but that wasn't saying much. She was fortunate that the sun had not yet set. He'd discover over the centuries that his vampiric instincts were more easily subdued by day._

"_Infinitely more, Macklyn Warlow." He was startled to hear her use his full name._

"_You know me?" He knew his legend had been passed down from generation to generation of fae. He was the dark figure that haunted the nightmares of young fairies. Despite his infamy however, he remained a faceless monster. This woman shouldn't have been able to identify him by sight._

"_God told me." Warlow snorted at the probability of that statement. God. That word seemed destined to follow him for eternity. "You do not believe in God, Macklyn Warlow? Was it not God's messenger who brought you here?" She was speaking of the human, Jesus. How had she known? _

_Warlow had heard him preaching in one of the many villages he'd passed through. He typically had a deep disgust for any creature who claimed to speak for "God", but there had been something about him that had made him hard to dismiss. _

_Jesus was undoubtedly deluded, but he had had some compelling ideas, so compelling in fact Warlow had been pondering them ever since. A benevolent God who forgave all sins? Life after death? It was an appealing prospect for anyone, but for one such as him, it was almost irresistible. _

"_What did you think of him?" The fairy's words drew Warlow back to the present._

"_I understand why humans choose to follow him. He promises forgiveness for all transgressions and a place in paradise. It's a tempting fantasy." Alas, fantasy was all it was, as much as he yearned for it to be otherwise. _

"_So you do not believe him." He wanted to believe it, more than he'd ever wanted anything in his whole existence. If the man called Jesus spoke true he hadn't wiped the last shred of his parents from the universe, a piece of them lived on. More than that, there was a chance if he met the True Death he would he them again._

"_I believe he is as mad as Lillith was." There truth was that there was no higher being, no great plan. Jesus' message may have been more benevolent than Lilith's, but it was still the ravings of a madman._

"_How do you know that Lillith was mad?" Any doubt Warlow may have had on that score perished with the evil bitch herself._

"_Because she claimed she and I had a great destiny to fulfill together, to save the vampire race. If she was so all-knowing, so chosen by fate, I would not have been able to kill her." That was at least one thing he had to be proud of in his miserable existence as a vampire, he had ended the monster that had made him before she could complete her horrific master plan._

"_Perhaps that too was part of God's plan." Warlow shook his head in exasperation._

"_Who's God? Lillith's God? That human's God? Another God altogether?" Each species seemed to have adapted their own concept of 'God' which favored their kind above all others. _

"_There is but one true God." That was what they all said. Were they aware how ridiculous they sounded?_

"_So which do you believe He is, the God one who loves vampires or the God who loves humans?" The fairy woman probably believe a God that loved fairies best. Nothing at all self-serving about that._

"_I believe God loves both." That was not the answer he had expected._

"_That is madness." It was an irrational notion, even for a believer in 'God'. _

"_God created the universe and all its creatures. He created the lion and the gazelle. They are both his children. Why wouldn't he love them both equally?" What kind of a sick parent would pit his children against one another in an eternal fight to the death?_

"_If that is true, then your God is even crueler than the one Lilith imagined. Even if He did exist I would want no part of him or his plan." The fairy smiled enigmatically at Warlow._

"_Perhaps that would change if you knew what destiny He had in store for you." A stream of images burst into his mind, flashing one right after the other. He saw himself watching as another man sliced his wrist and squeezing the blood into a tumbler. The man dipped a pen into the blood and began scribbling. I, Jon Stackhouse, in the year 1703, do promise the first fae-bearing female of my clan to M. Warlow. The image shifted and Warlow saw himself again. His hair had been cut short and he was lying down. A hand brushed his arm and the spot suddenly glowed with light. Another shift: Now he saw a blond woman, brown, kind eyes, smiling at him in a way that warmed him from head to toe. A new image: the woman was in his arms and she was kissing him passionately. Suddenly it ended and he was back with the fae woman._

"_What was that?!" He conjured the face that had been shown to him once again. She was so beautiful._

"_Your future." Warlow stared at the woman, incredulous. His future? Warlow suddenly recalled tales his parents had told him of the Fae gift of Sight. It was very rare ability, and his father had told him that any fae who possessed should always be heeded._

"_Who was the woman?" If this fairy did possess the Sight, then the woman he'd seen had to be real._

"_Your intended." Intended? His True Mate? How could he, a vampire, still have a fairy wife in his future?_

"_But how? I'm no longer fae?" _

"_You ARE still fae. You still possess your light, though it battles the darkness in you. She will help will with your struggle." It was almost too good to be true. His love existed, or at least would exist and he would be saved._

"_Where is she? Where can I find her?" He did care how far he had to travel or how long it would take, he would find her._

"_I've shown you all that God has shown me. Beyond that all I can tell you is that your intended is a Halfling of the royal blood line." The royal bloodline? Niall. The girl was Niall's descendent. What else had he seen that he could use to track her? The man, writing in his own blood, Jon Stackhouse. His heart plunged as he recalled the date on the contract: 1703. It would be at least seventeen hundred years more before he'd even lay eyes on his bride. Well, he'd managed thirty-five hundred years without even the hope of an end, he could certainly survive half that, now that he'd had something to live for._

"_I do not believe in your God, but I thank you for your Sight." He inclined his head to her in a slight bow. He turned to leave. Now that he no longer sought death, he be a fool to linger in the open like this. The fairy called to him before he flitted away._

"_One does not have to believe in a thing in order for it to exist. Take care: the woman is a crucial part of your destiny, but she does not encompass it. The fate of world will rest with you." The fate of the world? For a moment she sounded like Lillith. She was just as wrong. He didn't give a damn about the world._

"_What love have I for the world? What love has it shown for me?" He walked the earth in misery for thousands of years, shunned by every species on this plane. He had no interest in the fates of these people._

_The fairy regarded him, and for the first time he noticed her eyes. They seemed ancient, older even than his. A chill ran through him as those dark orbs peered into his soul._

"_No one can run from their destiny Macklyn Warlow, not even a creature as powerful as you." _

Warlow awoke with a start. It took him a moment to get his bearings. Scratchy cotton sheets. Television. He ran a hand through his short hair. Right. 2013. He'd checked into the only hotel in Bon Temps. He looked out the window. Sunset. He could feel the familiar hunger stirring within him. Fortunately he'd remember to feed to before crawling into bed, so it wasn't completely unbearable. He was still in control of himself, though the dream/memory of the fairy woman's smell made his mouth water.

Warlow sighed and swung his legs over the side of the bed. As he pulled his clothes on he thought back to the humans he'd feed from. After he had sated himself, he asked them, under the influence of glamour to tell them everything they knew about Sookie. He'd gotten the most out of one of the hotel's maid, who'd actually been one of Sookie's schoolmates.

The woman had painted a picture of Sookie's life that had, for the most part, meshed with the one he'd imagined. Sookie was thought insane, or at the very least weird, by most inhabitants of Bon Temps She was also something of a "danger magnet". To the woman's knowledge Sookie had be target by not one, but two human killers. Few people expected her to see to old age. Warlow hoped that this prediction came to pass, but not in the way the woman believe it would.

He'd asked about friends and relationships and the maid had only been able to supply the name "Tara Thorton". Her former relationship with "Vampire Bill" had created quite a stir and though the woman couldn't specially point to the existence of other lovers, she still considered Sookie a slut and sexual deviant. Upon hearing this particular assessment of his beloved, Warlow had been forced to resist the urge to tear the woman's throat out.

Warlow opened the door to his room, did a quick scan for witness, and finding none, flitted to Sookie's house in a matter of seconds. He stopped behind the same tree he'd stood behind earlier that day. He could see her through her bedroom window. The fae scent hit him like a freight train, and he barely managed to stop himself from charging the house. What the hell was happening?! He'd expected the scent to affect him more at night, but this was way beyond that. The scent had become ten times more potent!

"Grandpa!" A young male voice yelled out into the night. Warlow turned and saw an old man marching toward him. No, not a man, a fairy. Niall! Another figure trailed behind Niall.

"Jason! Keep Sookie in the house!" Should he fight or flee. Niall was old and powerful, but no match for his combined Fae and Vampire powers. Still murdering Sookie's many times over Grandfather would probably leave a poor second impression. He sprinted from Sookie's home, letting instinct guide him, his mind was stewing on other things.

How had Niall tracked him her so fast? He'd barely been out of the prison dimension for a day? He supposed that question didn't matter nearly as much as the ones Niall presence created, for example: How was he supposed to court Sookie under the nose of the fairy who had been trying to kill him for millennia? Or how was he supposed to get Sookie to trust him, let alone love him, with Niall regaling her with tales of his numerous past transgressions.

His nose caught a scent and he suddenly stopped running in the middle of field. Where was he? He still smelt honey and wheat, yet he was certain he'd lost Niall. Suddenly it hit him. Tibito field. The fairy haven Sookie had told him about. His fairy half sensed the entrance in the center of the field. His body started moving forward of its own accord. No! He tried to stop himself but his legs seemed to have minds of their own. He took another step towards the door. He pleaded with his vampire half not to do this. He'd been strong for over a thousand years know, ignoring the lapse of Sookie's parents. He wasn't entirely killing them counted as a lapse. His fairy half had fought the urge to kill them, but not very hard. They had tried to killed Sookie and they deserved to die. He was only a few feet from the haven and the the smell was so intense. Perhaps it would be alright, perhaps he was stronger now and he wouldn't need to kill in order to feed. Maybe it was even better for Sookie that he partook of a little fairy blood. It would be safer for her to be around him if he was fully sated. A small in the back of his mind called these rationalizations as the bullshit they were, but in the end, it didn't matter. He was inside.

"What are you?" Warlow drank in the sight of his prey. Fear rolled off them in waves as they drew back, their instincts telling them what their minds had yet to grasp; what he was was their doom. The darkness in his blood sang in anticipation and the light bowed to defeat. Warlow let the mindless predator within him emerged and he thought no more.


	5. Niall

When Warlow awoke he was back inside his hotel room. It was day. For a blissful second he allowed himself to believe it had all been a nightmare, that he'd never left the room last night. Then he saw the blood on his shirt. He sniffed to be sure. Fairy blood. Damn it! Damn it all to hell! He yanked the shirt off and brought it over to the bathroom sink. He plugged the drain and turned on the cold water. After the sink filled he dunked his shirt into the bowl. He used hand soap to scrub the stains. As he clean he caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. It appeared his shirt wasn't the only place he'd left blood. He raised a wet hand to wipe the dark stain away, then stopped. What was the point? He never, ever be truly clean. Why should he even bother to mask his guilt?

Sookie's kind, beautiful face appeared in his mind's eye and he snorted in self-disgust. Yes, of course he needed to clean up. He needed to hide what a monster he was from the woman he loved so he could convince her to become a wretched being just like him. Nothing says "I love you" like turning a pure soul into a tormented being at constant war with herself. He'd thought back to how he'd rewarded Lillith for bestowing that gift on him.

No! It wasn't the same. Lillith had given him no choice and he would never force Sookie to do anything against her will. Sookie also would never have to suffer the guilt of taking innocent lives. He would feed on her and she on him, and no living soul would suffer for it. Warlow reminded himself that this wasn't just about him needing her. She also needed him.

If he'd arrivedin Bon Temps and found Sookie settled in her human life, happy and safe, he might have felt some reservation about his plan. In the short time he'd been here, however he'd learned she was neither safe, nor happy. She had told him herself how isolated she felt, how lonely. He could fix that. He could make her feel loved and valued and understood. He could protect her from any threat. He could make her so strong that she would never have to fear anything ever again.

Protect Sookie…that gave him an idea. Niall was guarding Sookie with only the help of Sookie's brother Jason. If he were to stumble across a fairy, or even a Halfling prepared to assist him, Niall would be a fool to refuse wouldn't he? It was the perfect way back in.

Warlow stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He was undeniably a monster last night, but that didn't mean he had to be one forever. When Sookie was his, as destiny had decreed she would be, there would be no more slaughter, no more guilt. He'd never have to hurt anyone else again. That alone was reason enough to move forward with his plan.

Within the hour his face and shirt were clean and dry. Any evidence of last night's misconduct had been removed. He needed to find Niall. He sped to Sookie's house first to pick up the trial. The smell was nowhere near as overwhelming as it had been the night before. At least one good thing had come of the atrocity he had committed.

He pushed the thought away and focused on distinguishing the two fae smells of Sookie and Niall. Warlow singled out the thicker aroma tinged with tobacco and followed the trial. The hunt wasn't easy, thanks to Niall's fondness of hopping between planes, but after a few hours he'd managed to trace the scent back to Tibito Field. Had Niall tracked him here?

The King of the Fairies emerged from the doorway of the fairy club. Show time. He limped slightly toward Niall.

_Are we kindred? _Niall's voice asked inside his mind.

_We are_. He replied, smiling briefly.

"Um, my name's Ben. I heard that there is this fairy haven close by? This is Tibito Field, right? I've been searching for this place since yesterday, I can't find it!" Warlow figured it was good to have a pre-offered excuse on hand, in case Sookie asked how he'd escaped the massacre at the club.

"It was destroyed by a vampire." Niall informed him gravely.

"My God." The surprise is his voice may have been counterfeit, but the pang of sadness was not. Fairies may have hated and feared him since he'd become the half-beast he was today, but in his heart they were still his people.

"You're wounded." Niall had noticed the bandages Sookie had placed on his arm. It reminded him that the flesh beneath that the gauze was undoubtedly healed. He should probably reopen them the second he had a moment to himself, just in case Sookie wanted to inspect the wound.

"Yeah, uh, I was also attacked by a vampire. I was just looking for a safe place to rest. Like I said, I couldn't find the club. I've been searching for it all night. Were there any survivors?" As Warlow asked the question he couldn't help but wonder what answer he hoped to hear.

"No." Warlow was ashamed of the relief he felt upon hearing that no one would be able to identify him, "The vampire who did this? I've hunted him across centuries, across millennia. You see, he drained my entire village and reduced my parents to a pile of dust." Warlow walled of his mind to the memory Niall's word's threatened to call to the forefront. It was done and could not be changed.

"This vampire you speak of, is his name Warlow?" Warlow knew this story was in circulation among the fae, therefore it was possible that "Ben Flynn" would know the legend.

"Yes, it is."

"Shit." Warlow dropped to one knee and bend his head respectfully.

"What are you doing, son?" The fact that he was bowing should have been fairly obvious to the King.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, I just realized, you're Niall Brigant, you're the King of the Fae, right?" Warlow figured that by demonstrating knowledge of the fae hierarchy, he present himself in a more attractive light to Niall. Many halfings roamed the Earth with little knowledge of or control over their powers. Warlow needed Niall to see him as a valuable potential ally.

"You're right, but the pomp and the circumstance aren't necessary. Stand up, son. What did you say your name was?" Niall was exhibiting interest in him. Warlow's ploy was working.

"Ben. Ben Flynn." He could sense Niall's assessing gaze as he weighed "Ben Flynn"'s suitably for service.

"Well, Ben Flynn, because of a mistake one of my son's made many years ago Warlow believes he is entitled to my granddaughter Sookie." That wasn't entirely accurate. Warlow didn't think he was 'entitled', he didn't deserve her and he knew that. Fortunately for him his worth didn't determine his destiny.

"Sookie Stackhouse?" Niall's mentioning Sookie's name had given him the opportunity to nudge Niall a little further in the direction he wanted him to go.

"You know her?" Warlow looked away, a genuine smile on his face as he remembered his encounter with Sookie. He felt the ghost of her hands on his skin as she had gently tended to his wounds.

"Yeah, after I was attacked by the vampire she found me, she took me to her home, she showed me great kindness." Warlow had given Niall ever reason to draft him into his service. "Ben" was a Halfling who acknowledged Niall as his King and who personally owed Sookie a favor.

"I came to this club, Ben Flynn, in the hopes of assembling an army of Fae so I could hunt Warlow down and I found you. Are you prepared to return Sookie's kindness?" Warlow struggled to kept the triumphant smile from his face. Niall had taken the bait.

"It would be a privilege. It would be an honor." Niall smiled at Warlow warmly and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Let's go." As they walked together Warlow couldn't help enjoy the sense of camaraderie Niall's one armed embrace invoked. The paternal approval felt good, despite the fact that it was built on false pretenses. He scolded himself for being so foolish. Sookie was the objective here, not Niall. Not only was Niall a threat, but he was the worst sort of threat, the kind that was both dangerous and hard to eliminate.

Warlow had managed to avoid killing Niall all these years by staying constantly on the run. He'd chosen the life of a fugitive, not because he was a coward, but because he did not want to hurt the child he'd managed to spare. He had wanted their line and their people to continue.

Niall was an old man now, and had provided the world with multiple offspring, but that didn't make Warlow more anxious to kill him. Sookie knew Niall now, and given her loving nature, had probably developed affectionate feelings toward him. Warlow had already taken Sookie's parents from her, he was loath to deprive her of any more family. He needed to be very careful with Niall, very careful indeed.


End file.
